MENTALLY DERANGED.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18875, 20 February 1933, Page 6

MENTALLY DERANGED.

YOUNG WOMAN’S SUICIDE.

POIGNANT CIRCUMSTANCES.

PRIOR EFFORTS TO TAKE LIFE. Pathetic features were connected with tiie inquest at Hamilton this morning concerning the death of Margaret Tidmarsh, aged 22 years, whose body was recovered from the Waikato River at Hamilton on February 9. The District Coroner, Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., presided. Dora Amanda Ganiev, married woman, of Kaipaki, deposed that the deceased, who was tier niece, was staying with her at the time of her death. Her home was at Pakuranga, near Auckland, and she was taking a holiday on account of her poor health. After staying a while with her the deceased became moody. On the morning of February 2 witness found a rope attached to a rafter and subsequently the deceased admitted that she had tried to take her life. There was a ■ small cut in her throat. Witness found a butcher’s knife on her bed with wheih deceased had Inflicted the cut. Witness believed the deceased had made similar threats to her uncle. Escaped to River. Dr. St. L. 11. Gribben gave evidence that Dr. Waddle brought the deceased to him for an examination on the morning of February 2. He left the deceased in his consulting room and when lie returned she had disappeared. He then saw her making for the bank of the Waikato River. Witness proceeded after her and searched the bank but saw nothing further of the deceased. To tiie Coroner, witness said lie understood deceased had jumped into a water-trough in front of other people and lie had regarded it as an hysterical demonstration. He did not remember Dr. Waddle mentioning that deceased had written a letter a few days before threatening to end her life. He understood the case was a “ borderline” one.

Dr. N. Waddle, of Cambridge, testified that the deceased was brought to him by her uncle on January 31. The latter told him she had had nervous trouble in the past and seemed to be suffering considerable mental stress. He said his niece had been with them about six weeks and he was not satisfled that there was any improvement in her condition. When deceased consulted witness she complained of sleeplessness, depression, lack of appetite and nervousness.

Attended “ Revival Fire.”

She admitted she had recently been to fortune-tellers and to Mr A. H. Dallimore’s “ revival Are" missionary meetings. She had been profoundly Influenced, she said, by her experiences at those meetings. She said the meetings did her much good and that God was helping’ her, .but during the last few impression that the Almighty had betrayed her confidence and prayers, with the result that she fell disappointed, helpless and incompetent to deal with the problems of life. A Broken Engagement. Continuing, witness said a broken engagement three years before had added to the deceased’s mental outlook. He remembered the deceased remarking that life was not worth living and site felt like ending it. Deceased's physical condition' was good. Witness considered that then she was certainly not certiflably insane, but typical of many such cases. On February 2 he responded to a call to the home >of deceased’s aunt. He was told that deceased bad written to her mother stating that she contemplated suicide and that she had been behaving in an eccentric manner.

Witness was shown to a shed near the house where Miss Tidmarsh had attached a rope io a beam with,the intention of commuting suicide. Witness interviewed the girl again and her altitude towards him was antagonistic. Deceased saitl her uncle would not allow her to commit suicide and she askeij the doctor to let her. Witness attempted to dissuade her.

Doubts About Sanity. By no means could witness divert her mind away from the subject of suicide. Witness then advised her uncle to seek expert advice on her mental condition, as lie had doubts concerning her sanity. On the Instructions or the uncle, witness thereupon arranged for a consultation with Dr. Gribben. Witness took the deceased to Hamilton and at Dr. Gribben’s house In River Road he explained the facts of the case. While witness was In another room the deceased disappeared. Constable F. N. Asplln gave evidence concerning the recovery of the body of deceased from the Waikato River on the afternoon of February 9. “ There is no doubt that this young woman was mentally deranged,’’ commented the Coroner. “ She received a disappointment some three years before and had been lo fortune-tellers In Auckland. She had also attended religious meetings which had apparently raised her lo a slate of mental ecstacy which was succeeded by a (It of depression, with the result that she became intensely suicidal. She made two attempts to take lice life amt had threatened to do so several limes. __ It is a pity slio was not taken to a menial hospital sooner." A verdict was returned that the deceased committed suicide by drowning while menially deranged.